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Replacing the current flagship Arnage model, it promises to be ‘exceptional in all respects on the road’ and will renew competition with Rolls-Royce at the expensive end of the scale.

This will represent the first time Bentley has gone toe-to-toe with Rolls-Royce since the brands were split from their parent company in 1998, with the former moving to the Volkswagen Group whilst the latter went to BMW.

The car has been designed, engineered and will soon be built in Crewe, England, as the purest expression of the Bentley spirit.

“The reason I bought a Bentley was because of its exceptional performance in all respects on the road. Such features…leave nothing to be desired.”

Noel Van Raalte, W.O. Bentley’s first customer, October 1921

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In total, this adds up to peak power of 447kW and 750Nm achieved across virtually the entire rev range from 1700 to 5600rpm, delivering that characteristic Bentley wave of torque.

“The Continental GTC is an elegant Grand Touring convertible in the Bentley tradition, exciting the emotions with its distinctive blend of performance, luxury, craftsmanship and modernity. The GTC Speed completes the family of Continental Speed models and broadens the appeal of the GTC to customers who demand a more focused, open-top driving experience.” Bentley Chairman and Chief Executive, Dr. Franz-Josef Paefgen.

It’s zero to 100km/h performance belies its luxurious underpinnings, despatched in a mere 4.8 seconds with its endless torque driving it to 160km/h in just 10.5 seconds.

It comes as no surprise then that the GTC Speed will continue this relentless pace all the way to its top speed of 322km/h with the roof up, while its aerodynamics are inconvenienced only slightly with the roof down for a top speed of 312km/h.

The new GTC models boasts a subtly refreshed exterior with a more pronounced square edge radiator grille, larger lower air intake and chrome headlamp bezels.

The Continental GTC Speed is visually distinguished at the front by dark tinted radiator and lower air intake grilles, larger 20-inch multi-spoke alloy wheels with Bentley-bespoke Pirelli PZero ultra-high performance tyres, lowered and uprated suspension, wider twin-rifled exhaust tail pipes and a new boot-mounted lip spoiler that enhances high speed aerodynamics.

In addition, two significant new options may be specified on both GTC models: lightweight, fade-resistant, carbon-ceramic brakes – the largest production passenger car brakes in the world – and a sophisticated follow-to-stop Adaptive Cruise Control system that monitors traffic ahead and manages throttle and brakes to maintain a driver-selected time gap.

The Speed family is now complete with the introduction of the new Continental GTC Speed, which is expected to account for up to two-thirds of GTC sales worldwide in its first year of production.

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What began as an exploration into weight reduction for the current Bentley range transformed into a much more complicated project over a period of 24 months, eventually emerging as the Continental Supersports.

This early development is evident through a substantial weight reduction of 110kg when compared with the standard Continental GT Speed, achieved using new lightweight materials and components such as the standard carbon ceramic brakes.

Commenting on the most extreme Bentley, Stuart McCullough, Member of the Board, Sales and Marketing said, “The Supersports will appeal not only to existing Bentley customers but will extend the brand’s appeal to enthusiasts who value extreme performance and distinctive styling in a luxury car that is fuelled for the future.”

Motivating this new Bentley is a 6.0-litre W12 engine twin-turbocharged engine which produces 463kW at 6000rpm and a huge 800Nm between 1700 to 5600rpm.

This power is channelled through a new ‘Quickshift’ version of the six-speed ZF 6HP26 automatic transmission that halves shift times, resulting in a very quick zero to 100km/h time of just 3.9 seconds.

Capable of running on either petrol and E85 biofuel or any combination of the two, this blend can offer a reduction of up to 70 per cent in CO2 emissions on a ‘well-to-wheel’ basis which is measurement of a fuel’s net CO2 contribution to the atmosphere, not just tailpipe emissions.

The GT moniker has been removed from its title for a reason, with an array of chassis enhancements including retuned steering and suspension, lighter weight components, retuned dampers and anti-roll bars giving the Supersports genuine supercar handling.

This is underlined by the sharpened all-wheel-drive system with a 40:60 rear-biased torque split, a wider rear track, bespoke lightweight 20-inch alloy wheels and a unique electronic stability programme.

A case of form following function, its design is both purposeful and elegant – for example, additional airflow demanded by the increased power and torque of the W12 engine was achieved by utilising the larger vertical intake apertures and twin bonnet vents.

Similarly, it’s flared hind quarters accommodate the 50mm wider rear track but also emphasise the powerful stance of this ultra-high performance two-seater coupe.

Inside, the usual wood veneer has been replaced by carbon fibre components, while the new lightweight front sports seats also feature a carbon fibre clamshell back.

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At Melbourne’s first International Motor Show in 1925, Bentley had four Three-Litres in various body styles exhibited by its local agent Brodribb Bros. This year it will have four Continentals in three different body styles and two levels of performance.

Headlining the Motor Show offering will be the Continental Flying Spur Speed four-door and Continental GT Speed coupe, the newest, high-performance variants of the Continental line, plus two examples of the Continental GTC convertible.

The Continental Flying Spur Speed increases the output of the 6.0-litre engine to 449kW, with a vast 750Nm of torque from just 1750rpm, for a 0-100km/h sprint of 4.8 seconds and a top speed of 322km/h.

It sells for just over $400,000, with standard equipment including five-ply, noise-dampening window glass, 20-inch alloy wheels, lambswool floor mats, a Breitling clock and rear picnic tables with integrated mirror and lights

Imposing performance and price were Bentley hallmarks from its earliest days, and those early Bentleys are honoured by the selection of a 1930 Bentley Speed Six for the 75th Melbourne Motor Show Historic Tribute display.

The Historic Tribute car (pictured top) belongs to Melbourne car enthusiast and Bentley distributor Lance Dixon, and its advanced engine design and Le Mans-winning performance built a heritage that Bentley continues to this day.

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But what’s really interesting is the fact that this car marks stage one of Bentley’s committment to the environment. How so?

The new Bentley supercar is designed to run on bio-fuel, making it one of the first in this segment. Bentley claims it is pioneering the use of the fuel. However news also comes of Bentley’s hit in the economic crisis. Production is set to shut down in Crewe for around five to six weeks, from March.

Deliberate timing to gear up for production of the new car? Or a quietening off from the boom time? We’ll keep you informed.

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“Ladies and gentlemen, 2009 is going to be a tough year for us all,” said Stuart McCullough, Bentley board member for sales and marketing. “However, if there is a clear lesson to be learnt regarding market demand, it is that the introduction of new 2-seater sports cars can buck the trend.”

The Continental GTC, the two-door 2+2 convertible version of the GT Coupe, debuted in 2006 and has brought many younger buyers to the marque.

The Speed version is propelled by a 447kW version of Bentley’s 12-cylinder twin-turbo engine, developing 9 per cent more power than the standard GTC’s engine, and 15 percent more torque, “which is actually responsible for the Bentley feel,” said McCullough.

The GTC Speed is Bentley’s most powerful convertible ever, with more horsepower than the company’s 2003 LeMans sportscar. The Speed accelerates from zero to 100km/h in 4.6 seconds, zero to 160km/h in just 10.6 seconds, and has a top speed of 32km/h (with the top up).

The GTC Speed shows a freshened frontal appearance that is shared across the line. The grille is more upright, with a bolder lower air intake for more cooling, plus new chrome headlamp bezels.

The Speed is distinguished by a small rear spoiler for improved aerodynamics and top speed, as well as a dark-tinted radiator and air intake grilles, 20-inch multi-spoke alloy wheels with custom Pirelli ultra-high performance tires and twin tailpipes. The Speed name comes from the 1920 Bentley Speed models.

The GTC models also have a new optional Adaptive Cruise Control system, which features a long-range radar sensor that monitors traffic ahead and manages throttle and brakes to maintain a driver-selected time gap.

Also optional are lightweight, fade-resistant carbon-ceramic brakes that are the largest production passenger car brakes in the world, according to Bentley.

“The standard brakes are the second largest production brakes in the world,” said Ulrich Eichorn, Bentley’s board member for engineering.

The Speed will go on sale later this year. Sales worldwide for Bentley followed the market pattern. The high luxury segment dropped 25 percent in 2008, and Bentley dropped 24 percent, selling 7,604 models.

Sales in the U.S. were down 32 percent. Sales of the GT coupe, however, were up 11 per cent globally and 19 per cent in the US, with Speed variants composing two-thirds of sales, which is why McCullough sees sports cars as the one bright spot.

The company will also introduce its first biofuel compatible car later this year, as the company puts its toes into the fuel-efficiency waters.

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That means this handcrafted convertible has 12-cylinders, two turbos and a whole lotta grunt, to get it from 0-100km/h in just 4.8 seconds. The new GTC Speed also claims the title as Bentley’s most powerful convertible ever built. All that power doesn’t mean you have to skimp on driver comfort, though.

The GTC Speed retains its GTC sibling’s trademark leather and wood interior, whilst adding a quilted hide treatment, drilled alloy pedals, a dark chrome grille treatment, and wider, rifled exhaust outlets – all falling in line with similar additions to the rest of the Speed range.

What’s really interesting, though, is the GTC Speed’s roof, which although goes up and down in 25 seconds, still allows a top speed of 322km/h when up. The aerodynamics of the car are excellent, too, as even with the roof sunk into the boot, you can still reach 312km/h. Genuine hold-onto-your-hat material.

The rear seats are actually usable, too, being a genuine 2+2 seater. The 2009 version of the ‘regular’ GTC also has had some improvements, the most notable being a revised steering system for improved feedback and feel.

The GTC also features a more upright grille, and optional radar based ‘follow-to-stop’ cruise control system. New interior and exterior colours round out the updates.

Bentley Australia says that there is no definite date for a local release, or local pricing, however as soon as we know, you’ll know.

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When I waltzed in to the Bentley garage to collect ‘my’ Speed I was a touch overwhelmed upon reacquainting myself with the size of this beautifully capricious vehicle. It’s one of those attributes easily forgotten since last driving one, and just as simple to overlook once again behind the wheel.

Ignoring the vehicular dimensions and focusing specifically on the driving experience, the Continental simply doesn’t feel big. The composed ride quality and quietly balanced feedback mask the outward proportions splendidly. It feels no bigger to drive than a Mercedes-Benz S Class from a driver’s perspective, but at 214mm longer and 246mm wider, it certainly is up there in that next bracket.

The deep lustre of the Granite paintwork, the flowing, timeless sculpture of a full-size saloon car, and that sumptuous, elegant décor of the cabin are enough to gain the respect of any car enthusiast but the Speed badge brings even more purpose to this exemplary and bespoke GT.

Adding to the Jekyll and Hyde persona is the Speed’s ease of operation. For a car of such esteem it certainly is a docile beast under normal operation displaying almost none of the immense capabilities on offer from the engine room when just plodding around town, but give the elegantly crafted alloy pedal a small prod and the intent becomes as rapidly noticeable as does the velocity itself.

Along with an already impressive 6.0-litre W12 engine (arranged in four banks of three cylinders each), the Speed badge brings an additional 37kW of ferocious power and 100Nm of chassis twisting torque to the big Bender’s standard form, thanks primarily to twin turbochargers, that endow the beast with a total of 449kW at 6000rpm and 750Nm of torque, available all the way from 1700rpm to just under peak power at 5600rpm. Power certainly in the realm of being able to corrupt even the most feather-footed driver.

A paddle-shift equipped six-speed automatic is seamless of shift and perfectly calibrated to the respective driving style one would associate with each of the two settings (Drive and Sport). Crisp response and fluid changes herald luxury performance motoring’s finer characteristics, deserved refinement that can only be truly appreciated at this end of the scale, though I must say, the plastic composite paddles do feel a little on the cheap side, very out of place comparative to the remainder of the car.

The performance on hand though is not completely disguised, for as well as being visibly fast – as the name might well suggest – the Speed boasts a remarkably thunderous aural character, most especially following a brief burst of acceleration and sudden release of the throttle.

The unburnt fuel burns fast in a deep, resounding clap. It’s the closest noise to thunder I’ve yet heard, so the next time your kid ask where thunder comes from, you can reply with all sincerity “the back of a Bentley, son”.

Handling, which coincidentally is adjustable for both firmness and ride height, is well sorted given the car’s obvious proportions and perhaps surprisingly, manages very swift and sorted cornering for the most part. Under duress the car’s inertia is evident and it will tend to understeer slightly, though I can’t imagine too many Bentley owners driving in an attempt to find this threshold.

The ride on offer is as you’d well expect. Smooth, sorted, yet stiff when need requires. The wishbone front, multi-link rear end is assisted by self-levelling air springs with electronically controlled dampers each independently variable to ensure positive road holding at all times, further assisting the continuous all-wheel-drive and limited-slip differential in doing their job.

Steering is precise, well weighted and offers superb levels of feedback but remains as easy to manage at parking speeds as a light hatch. The carbon ceramic brakes are truly fade free and are expectantly the largest diameter of any offered in a passenger car. The pedal takes a little effort to operate, but the reward is worth every calorie burnt doing so. For a big car, it stops as quickly as it gets going. Impressive stuff.

The interior is completely hand crafted, and to better understand the workmanship involved, I went to visit a friend who makes custom interiors for show cars. To say he was impressed was an understatement.

Eleven hides, all selected to be free of any imperfection, no matter how slight (even something as slight as an insect bite on the hide will see it rejected) are all hand stitched ensuring complete uniformity in tone, colour and texture between all surfaces. Even the leather bound steering wheel is double hand stitched using one length of thread to ensure a perfect finish – a process that takes up to five hours.

The wood veneer is real walnut and offers a beautiful old world feel that reminds you of the marque’s heritage and indeed adds to the overall elegance of the cabin creating an ambiance of complete refinement, something even I thought was lost in modern cars.

An extensive feature list includes bi-xenon headlamps, tyre pressure monitoring, trip computer, power windows and mirrors, radar cruise control, remote central locking, rain sensing wipers, lowered sports suspension, sports tuned exhaust, 20-inch alloy wheels, electric rear blind, carpets and seats belts with colour to match trim, voice activated Bluetooth, satellite navigation, television, six-CD stacker, electronically adjustable heated leather seats with massage feature and memory, four-zone climate control, alloy pedals and sills, television, rear view camera parking aid, plush Mulliner lambswool rugs matched to carpet colour, power boot open/close and tilt/slide sunroof.

The Naim stereo, engineered specifically for the acoustic area of the Continental’s cabin features 15 speakers (including dual boot mounted sub-woofers), dynamic equalisation technology, speed dependent volume control, iPod, satellite navigation and phone integration and an impressive 1100 watt, 13.2 channel amplifier. It’s incredible. Completely clear, free from any distortion at all volumes and absolutely perfect of tone. 

Of course the Bentley is equipped with a full list of safety features including ABS, EBA, EBD, ESP and Traction Control as well as a full house of airbags.

If there has to be a downside to the Speed it’s that the wipers were a touch noisy on switching direction and there’s a very slight wind whistle at the top end of the front doors just where they meet the B pillar, otherwise it’s pretty hard to fault.

At $400,176 the Speed is a little out of reach for most of us, in fact it’s worth as much as my house. Though to put things in perspective, it is only $30,000 more than a regular Continental Flying Spur but with performance that makes even supercar owners bow in awe. Truly impressive, remarkably bespoke and beautifully fast I’d take one home again any day.

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Specifications:

• Engine: 5998cc DOHC W12 (48 valve)
• Power: 449kW @ 6000rpm
• Torque: 750Nm @ 1700 – 5600rpm
• Induction: Twin-turbo multi-point
• Transmission: Six-speed automatic
• Driven Wheels: All
• Brakes: Carbon ceramic discs
• Top Speed: 322km/h
• 0-100km/h: 4.8 seconds
• 0-100mp/h: 11.3 seconds
• 0-400m: 12.5 seconds @ 169.05km/h
• CO2 Emissions: 396g/km
• Fuel Consumption: 16.6 litres/100km
• Fuel Tank Capacity: 90-litres
• Fuel Type: 98RON petrol
• ANCAP Rating: N/A
• Airbags: Front, side & curtain
• Safety: ABS, EBA, EBD, ESP & Traction Control
• Spare Wheel: Space saver
• Tow Capacity: N/A
• Turning Circle: 11.8 metres
• Warranty: Three Year/Unlimited Kilometre
• Weight: 2440kg (Tare)
• Wheels: Alloy 20 x 9.0-inch

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The event is open to its customers as well as any other interested parties where they will experience 560 horses on a surface of pure ice.

The entire range from the Continental series ranging from 560 to 610hp will be on location for expert cold weather tuition and a bit of fun just 60km away from the Arctic Circle.

Bentley will have a team of instructors on hand led by Finnish rally star Juha Kankkunen who set a new world speed record for driving on ice in 2007 – using a Bentley Continental GT no less.

Along with what will doubt be a truly exceptional driving adventure, participants can also expect first-class service in specially designed accommodation, with Bentley having created its own private holiday village consisting of a small boutique hotel and exclusive chalets.

With the calibre of customers expected for the event, service staff will be on hand around the clock with all food prepared by renowned Finnish chef Jarmi Pitkänen.

A series of exclusive three-day trips have been planned for small groups only, with participants paying between AUD$15,000 to AUD$18,000 for the privilege.

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The new Azure T boasts a high performance version of Crewe’s iconic 6¾-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine which develops 373kW and 1000Nm.

The signature Bentley ‘wave of torque’ delivers effortless performance, allowing the Azure T to sigh away from a stand still to 100km/h in just 5.5 and on to a top speed of 288km/h.

The gearbox is a ZF-developed 6-speed semi-automatic unit with three transmission modes: Drive, Sport and Manual, which allow the driver to take full advantage of the powerful V8 engine.

“The new Azure T reflects our passion for creating the world’s most exhilarating and prestigious convertibles that, true to the Bentley T tradition, blend sophistication with a powerful presence.”

The exterior offers a raft of discreet highlights which differentiate the ‘T’ from its stable mate whilst hinting at its increased performance potential.

These include five-spoke 20-inch two-piece alloy wheels, ‘Le Mans’ lower front wing air vents, dark-tinted grille, billet aluminium fuel cap and retractable Flying ‘B’ mascot.

“The Azure’s proportions provided us with the ideal platform to work with when creating the new Azure T. The prominent haunches and ‘supermodel’ body inspired our designers to create a new interpretation of a Bentley convertible with the accent placed on a more muscular, sporting stance.”

Inside, classic refinement such as Diamond quilted seat and door, and premium veneer highlights meet new-age technology such as an iPod interface linked to an Infotainment system.

The Azure T is available in the full Bentley range of 42 exterior colours, 25 interior hides, and the full range of premium veneers, plus the comprehensive line-up of Mulliner options and its bespoke colour-matching service that enable Bentley owners to create a uniquely personal car.

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